Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2001-04-17
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
C359S368000, C359S385000, C359S388000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219181
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a monitor-aided microscope suited for viewing through a monitor.
A technique is known for inspecting a specimen, not shown but placed on a stage
052
, by an observer viewing a conventional microscope
050
which includes an eye-piece lens
051
, the stage
052
, and a revolver
053
with no use of a motor, as shown in FIG.
1
.
Another technique for inspecting with a microscope aided with a monitor but not an eye-piece lens.
The latter is more preferable than the former permitting the observer to view through the eye-piece lens because it has the following advantages and has widely been used.
(1) The observer when viewing has more freedom in the posture and will suffer from less fatigue and thus enjoy the efficiency of working.
(2) Small flaws which are hardly viewed by the eyes can be detected by processing of data e.g. of an infrared ray or ultraviolet ray image.
(3) The latter allows two or more observers to view and inspect at one time, hence speeding the transmission of information.
The advantages depicted in the paragraphs (1) and (2) are more emphasized in a type of the monitor viewing for inspecting wafers or cells with the use of a screener.
Various types of the monitor viewing have been invented and filed for application.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-127087 discloses a monitor-aided microscope permitting a subject of interest to be enlarged by a microscope and viewed on the screen of a monitor. Also, another monitor-aided microscope is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-199077 for improving the operability in monitor viewing.
However, the monitor-aided microscope disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-127087 is unfavorable for operating the microscope while viewing the monitor.
FIGS. 2A and 2B
illustrate such an action.
FIG. 2A
shows a microscope body
020
accompanied with a camera
021
and a monitor
030
both placed horizontally on a floor
040
.
FIG. 2B
shows a microscope body
020
and a monitor
030
placed vertically on a floor
040
.
In the monitor-aided microscopes shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
, a procedure of steps for operating the microscope body while viewing the monitor includes:
(1) setting a specimen on a stage;
(2) determining a rate of magnification on an objective lens;
(3) controlling a filter, a field of view, and a size of aperture in relation to the objective lens;
(4) viewing the monitor;
(5) adjusting the stage so that the specimen is correctly focused on the monitor; and
(6) positioning the specimen to a desired location for observation.
The above procedure is conducted in a routine manner. More specifically, the observer has to face the microscope for mechanical control and shift his or her eyes to the monitor screen for viewing the specimen as denoted by the dotted lines. Depending on the positional relationship between the microscope body and the monitor, the face of the observer is turned vertically or horizontally to change the direction of vision. This will hardly achieve improvement of the working efficiency or the initial purpose through minimizing the fatigue of the observer.
Also, while the observer who is skilled operating the microscope body without his or her eyes directing to it, he or she has to extend the arms to both sides and bring up the face to view the monitor from their original position in front of the monitor.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-199077, the operability on the microscope body is improved by having a group of controls to be operated by the observer driven electrically and particularly providing a control unit for the observer carrying out a centered controlling action. The powered and centered control will however increase the overall dimensions and also the cost of production.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved monitor-aided microscope which is facilitated in the viewing and the operation and increased in the space saving while giving no cost-up.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope comprising: a stage on which a specimen is placed; a light source for illuminating the specimen; an objective lens for passing an illumination light from the specimen; an image formation system for forming an optical image of the specimen; a monitor for displaying as a visible picture the optical image of the specimen obtained from the image formation system; and an observation condition switching means for switching the observation condition for the specimen from one to another, wherein the optical axis extending from the light source to the image formation system is horizontal over the floor and various controls constituting the observation condition switching means are mounted intensively on one side of a main body of the microscope. This allows the main body of the microscope to be decreased in the overall height so that the monitor is placed on an upper or rear side of the main body or its adjacent location. The observer can hence operate the microscope while viewing the monitor without shifting the direction of the eyes.
In the microscope, its frame may be used as a monitor mounting table on which the monitor is placed. This improves the space saving and decreases the cost of the microscope.
In the microscope, the controls in the observation condition switching means may be a focusing handle for focusing the specimen.
The microscope may further comprise a stage operating knob mounted to the one side of the main body of the microscope for moving the stage forward, backward, upper and lower.
In the microscope, the observation condition switching means may switch between a first mode for high magnification observation of the specimen with the objective lens and a second mode for low magnification observation with no use of the objective lens.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope comprising:
a stage on which a specimen is placed; a light source for illuminating the specimen; an objective lens for passing an illumination light from the specimen;
an image formation system for forming an optical image of the specimen; a monitor for displaying as a visible picture the optical image of the specimen obtained from the image formation system; and an observation condition switching means for switching the observation condition for the specimen from one to another, wherein the observation condition switching means switches between a first mode for high magnification observation of the specimen with the objective lens and a second mode for low magnification observation with no use of the objective lens. This allows both the high magnification observation and the low magnification or macroimage observation to be carried out in one single assembly of the microscope, hence requiring no need of an extra macroimage observation device. Since the field of view become wider than that of a conventional low magnification objective lens, the specimen of a considerable size can successfully be viewed throughout its size. Consequently, the target to be observed at a higher magnification can easily be identified in the entirety of the specimen.
In the microscope, the objective lens when the second mode is selected may be retracted from the optical path so that the optical image of the specimen is transmitted to the image formation system along an optical path which is different from that of the first mode.
In the microscope, the objective lens may be mounted on a revolver which is retracted from the optical path when the second mode is selected.
In the microscope, the objective lens may be mounted on a revolver which has a specific aperture provided therein and, when the second mode is selected, the revolver is rotated so that the optical path extends across its aperture. Preferably, the aperture of the revolver is greater in size than objective lens mounting apertures.
In the microscope, the objective lens when the second mode is selected may be re
Endo Hideaki
Nagano Takashi
Tsuchiya Atsuhiro
Yoneyama Takashi
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Nguyen Thong
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
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